The family of a Morden couple who were killed during a terror attack in Tunisia have released a statement asking for their loved ones to be remembered for who they were, not how they died.
Janet Stocker, 63, and her husband John, 74, were holidaying at the Rui Imperial Marhaba Hotel in Sousse when they were killed by gunman Seifeddine Rezgui on June 26, 2015.
38 tourists, including 30 Britons, were killed by Rezgui as he rampaged through the hotel, armed with a Kalashnikov and three hand grenades.
At an inquest into the British deaths at the Royal Courts of Justice, Judge Nicholas Loraine-Smith concluded that all the victims had been unlawfully killed.
From today: Tunisia beach attack victims were unlawfully killed, coroner rules
He also raised concerns about the security provision at the hotel, the response of the Tunisian police and the travel advice given by holiday operator TUI.
Mr and Mrs Stocker, who lived in Stonecot Hill, left behind five children and ten grandchildren.
John and Janet Stocker
Mrs Stocker worked at the North Cheam branch of Sainsbury's, where colleagues raised money towarads a memorial bench in October 2015.
After the conclusion of the six week inquest today, Tuesday, February 28, the family have released the following statement:
Today, after a six week enquiry, the coroner reached his verdict. His verdict was that 30 British nationals killed on a beach in Tunisia on June 26, 2015, was unlawful.
This enquiry was about facts alone. We are thankful that the corner detailed substantial evidence that he had listened to throughout the enquiry and felt needed highlighting in in his summary, which shows the exact failings of the hotel. That the hotel was recced and targeted for its lack of security.
We thank the coroner and everyone who has spent a long time since the atrocities trying to find out the facts in open court. Again, we thank them for this.
We are deeply disappointed with the facts that have come to light during the enquiry, and we hope that in the coroner’s further report into the prevention of future deaths that he can implement stronger guidelines for the travel industry to give the people buying the holidays more understanding and be open with the information they hold.
As a family of the deceased, we also have reached a verdict.
If our loved ones knew the risks to begin with, none of them would have taken that holiday to Tunisia. That’s the biggest fact.
Unfortunately, we can only speak for ourselves, the family of John and Janet Stocker, but we are sure that the other families of the deceased may possibly feel the same. That we have come away with a lot more questions than answers, but this is something that we must deal with and live with together going forward.
30 British nationals were killed in a heinous attack, and they have now become the victims of Tunisia: faces in a war that most, if not all, of us should never had anything to do with.
For us, it is so important that they are not forever labelled with this ‘poison chalice’, and us not labelled as the ‘families of the deceased’. Sometimes the crime is so awful that how they died is all anyone can remember.
Everyone had a name, and a path in life, and we have to remember who they were and what they have lost because of June 26.
They have lost loved ones, each other, seeing their friends and family grow.
They will miss out on a lifetime of memories, laughs and warmth.
We will live without our mums, dads, brothers, sisters, aunties, uncles, grandmas and grandads, best friends.
Forever.
That’s our fact.
We still need to find words to explain to our young family when they grow up why they don’t have their grandparents around.
We have to try and capture their love and generosity and spirit and pass that down, as that is all we have left.
We need to rebuild our lives with a hole in our hearts, so heavy that sometimes to open your eyes just hurts too much.
We need to remember them for who they were, and not how they died.
Did you know Janet and John Stocker? To leave a tribute, contact the newsdesk on 020 8722 6337 or pippa.allen@newsquest.co.uk
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here